U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the House Homeland Security Committee on the Biden administration’s fiscal year 2025 budget request in the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on April 16, 2024.
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate rejects all impeachment charges against Homeland Security secretary Alexander Mayorkasending an effort by House Republicans to oust a cabinet secretary over his handling of the issue U.S.-Mexico border and ended his trial before the arguments even began.
Senators voted to dismiss two articles of impeachment, which Democrats said were unconstitutional, and end the trial. The first article accused Mayorkas of “willfully and systematically refusing to comply” with immigration laws. The second article accused Mayorkas of a “violation of trust” regarding border security. The votes were 51-48 and 51-49, both along party lines.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said House Republicans’ case failed to meet “high standards for high crimes and misdemeanors” and could set a dangerous precedent.
“For the sake of the integrity of the Senate and to protect the rare cases of impeachment we really need, senators should dismiss today’s charges,” Schumer, D-N.Y., said at the opening of Wednesday’s session.
Senate Republicans advocate full impeachment trial after House passes weak votes Mayorkas was impeached in February over his handling of the border, arguing in two articles that he “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce immigration laws. The House vote was the first to impeach a cabinet secretary in nearly 150 years.
Mayorkas’ indictment was outright dismissed without a chance for debate, an embarrassing defeat for House Republicans and embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has made impeachment a priority. Border security has been a top issue in a presidential election year, something that could resonate politically with both Republicans and Democrats.
Republicans view President Joe Biden as having been weak on the border, with the number of arrests for illegal border crossings soaring to more than 2 million in his final two years in office, although those numbers have dropped from record high Mexico stepped up law enforcement, and 250,000 people died in December. Democrats say Republicans should not impeach Mayorkas but instead accept a bipartisan Senate compromise aimed at reducing the number of immigrants entering the United States illegally.
House Sergeant at Arms William McFarland (left) and House Acting Clerk Kevin F. Macomber, along with impeachment managers Reps. Mark Green (R-Tenn.), Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) Republican), Michael McCaul (R-Texas, Clay), Higgins (R-Louisiana), Ben Klain (R-Virginia), Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Mississippi State Republican Michael Guest, Florida Republican Laurel Lee, Wyoming Republican Harriet Hageman and Andrew Garbarino Tuesday, April 16, 2024, New York Republican Senator Opp and Texas Republican Sen. August Pfluger walked through the Capitol rotunda to the Senate floor to deliver a petition against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Articles of impeachment against Alejandro Mayorkas.
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house impeachment managers Submit charges to the Senate He stood in the Senate chamber on Tuesday and read them aloud to a group of senators. But they did not have a chance to present their case before the Senate rejected it.
After senators were sworn in Wednesday, the House turned into an impeachment court, presided over by Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington. Murray is the president pro tempore of the Senate, or the most senior member of the majority party who serves as vice president.Senators walked in groups of four to the front of the Senate chamber to sign a Affidavit Preserved in the National Archives.
Schumer later called for a vote to dismiss the trial after Republicans rejected a proposed deal on Senate debate time and held multiple votes over Republican objections. Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt said Democrats were “overturning 200 years of impeachment precedent” by trying to dismiss the trial.
Angry Republicans called for multiple votes to delay the inevitable final outcome, but as all Democrats and three independents worked together, none of them passed.
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said “history will not judge this moment favorably.”
“This process must not be abused,” McConnell said. “There must be no short circuit.”
Still, weeks later, Republicans similarly moved to dismiss former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial in 2021. Attack on January 6, 2021 On the Capitol. All but five Republican senators, including McConnell, voted to end the trial, arguing it was unconstitutional now that Trump has left office.
Johnson, who signed the articles to be sent to the Capitol on Monday, said Schumer should convene a trial to “hold fully accountable those who orchestrated this crisis.”
Johnson said Schumer “is the only obstacle to being accountable to the American people.” “Constitutionally, the House demands a trial.”
Even if a Senate trial were held, Republicans would be unable to win the two-thirds support needed to convict and remove Mayorkas from office — Democrats control the chamber 51-49 and appear united in their opposition to the impeachment effort . None of the House Democrats support it, either.
Mayorkas launched a campaign for children’s online safety in New York on Wednesday, reaffirming his focus on his department’s work. “As developments unfold, the Senate will take action as the Senate deems appropriate,” he said. “I came to New York on Wednesday morning to fight sexual exploitation and abuse online. I am focused on our mission.”
Johnson delayed sending the articles to the Senate for weeks, and both chambers had already completed the work government funds Legislate and adjourn for two weeks.Johnson said last week he would send them to the Senate, but he Bet again That comes after Senate Republicans said they needed more time to prepare.
During Tuesday’s hearing with Mayorkas on President Joe Biden’s budget request for the department, some House impeachment managers previewed the arguments they will make.
Rep. Mark Green of Tennessee, chairman of the House Homeland Security Panel, told the secretary of state that he was legally responsible for controlling and securing the U.S. border and that “during your three years as secretary of state, you failed to live up to that oath. You guys By refusing to comply with the laws passed by Congress, you have betrayed the public trust.
Mayorkas defended the department’s efforts but said the nation’s immigration system is “fundamentally broken, and only Congress can fix it.”
This is the third impeachment trial in five years.Democrats Impeach President Donald Trump Twice His dealings with Ukraine and the second time days after the Capitol attack. Trump acquitted by senate twice.
If the Senate holds a trial for Mayorkas, senators would be forced to sit in their seats for that period, likely weeks, while the House impeachment managers and lawyers representing Mayorkas make their case. .
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